To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the expenditure by his Department has been on the promotion of design in each of the past nine years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the expenditure by his Department has been on the promotion of design in each of the past nine years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has (a) spent and (b) allocated on identifying the merits of scramjet technologies for military use.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department has (a) spent and (b) allocated on identifying the merits of scramjet technologies for military use.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to encourage innovation in new technologies (a) for domestic appliances and (b) in the construction industry to combat climate change.

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans he has to encourage innovation in new technologies (a) for domestic appliances and (b) in the construction industry to combat climate change.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value is of public sector research contracts granted to small technology intensive companies since 16 March 2005; and how many small technology intensive companies have won such contracts.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total value is of public sector research contracts granted to small technology intensive companies since 16 March 2005; and how many small technology intensive companies have won such contracts.

My Lords, as anticipated, this has been a worthwhile debate. I thank all noble Lords who have contributed. I have a couple of observations to make as chairman of one of your Lordships’ European sub-committees. We are often encouraged to have short inquiries as well as longer one, but I...

My Lords, as anticipated, this has been a worthwhile debate. I thank all noble Lords who have contributed. I have a couple of observations to make as chairman of one of your Lordships’ European sub-committees. We are often encouraged to have short inquiries as well as longer one, but I...

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Woolmer, for introducing this report and for the bulk of the report before your Lordships today. It fell to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Development Policy Sub-Committee to consider the space and security programme included in the Seventh Framework Programme for Research....

My Lords, I thank the noble Lord, Lord Woolmer, for introducing this report and for the bulk of the report before your Lordships today. It fell to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Development Policy Sub-Committee to consider the space and security programme included in the Seventh Framework Programme for Research....

My Lords, what a pleasure it is to work on Sub-Committee B. Our Clerk, chairman, advisers and my colleagues are all committed and I thank them for their diligence and companionship. Like my noble friend Lord Giddens, I rather like the seventh framework programme proposal. What I like about it...

My Lords, what a pleasure it is to work on Sub-Committee B. Our Clerk, chairman, advisers and my colleagues are all committed and I thank them for their diligence and companionship. Like my noble friend Lord Giddens, I rather like the seventh framework programme proposal. What I like about it...

My Lords, I, too, congratulate my noble friend Lord Woolmer of Leeds and his sub-committee on their report, which is very instructive. I have been in your Lordships’ House for only a relatively short period but I am very impressed by the standards set by the European Committee and its...

My Lords, I, too, congratulate my noble friend Lord Woolmer of Leeds and his sub-committee on their report, which is very instructive. I have been in your Lordships’ House for only a relatively short period but I am very impressed by the standards set by the European Committee and its...

My Lords, I pay tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Woolmer, for bringing to the House this extremely timely report. The seventh framework programme reaches its crucial decision point with the European Parliament at the end of the month, so the House now has an opportunity to debate the programme...

My Lords, I pay tribute to the noble Lord, Lord Woolmer, for bringing to the House this extremely timely report. The seventh framework programme reaches its crucial decision point with the European Parliament at the end of the month, so the House now has an opportunity to debate the programme...

rose to move, That this House takes note of the report of the European Union Committee on the Seventh Framework Programme for Research (33rd Report, HL Paper 182). The noble Lord said: My Lords, first, I express the thanks of the sub-committee to our then Clerk, Anna Murphy, and our...

rose to move, That this House takes note of the report of the European Union Committee on the Seventh Framework Programme for Research (33rd Report, HL Paper 182). The noble Lord said: My Lords, first, I express the thanks of the sub-committee to our then Clerk, Anna Murphy, and our...

My Lords, this has by any reckoning been a most interesting debate on a compelling subject. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Haskel, for making the very interesting suggestion towards the end of his speech about possible European Institute of Technology usage and function. I echo other speakers in congratulating...

My Lords, this has by any reckoning been a most interesting debate on a compelling subject. I thank the noble Lord, Lord Haskel, for making the very interesting suggestion towards the end of his speech about possible European Institute of Technology usage and function. I echo other speakers in congratulating...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Woolmer, on securing this debate today, and apologise to him and to your Lordships for my delayed arrival. I add my thanks for the work he, as chairman, and his sub-committee have done in producing this very useful report. It has exposed...

My Lords, I congratulate the noble Lord, Lord Woolmer, on securing this debate today, and apologise to him and to your Lordships for my delayed arrival. I add my thanks for the work he, as chairman, and his sub-committee have done in producing this very useful report. It has exposed...

Lords debate on motion to take note of the report of the European Union Committee on the Seventh Framework Programme for Research (HL 182 2005-06). Agreed to on question.

Lords debate on motion to take note of the report of the European Union Committee on the Seventh Framework Programme for Research (HL 182 2005-06). Agreed to on question.

My Lords, I start by thanking my noble friend Lord Woolmer for introducing his report and for the wide-ranging way in which he did so. I thank all noble Lords who participated in this debate and in the work of the sub-committee. The Government have given their formal written response...

My Lords, I start by thanking my noble friend Lord Woolmer for introducing his report and for the wide-ranging way in which he did so. I thank all noble Lords who participated in this debate and in the work of the sub-committee. The Government have given their formal written response...

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on the updating of the Defence Technology Strategy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress his Department has made on the updating of the Defence Technology Strategy.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Alistair Darling) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The March 2006 report Science and Innovation Investment Framework: Next Steps, published alongside the Budget, announced that the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) would have a wider remit to stimulate...

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (Alistair Darling) has made the following Written Ministerial Statement. The March 2006 report Science and Innovation Investment Framework: Next Steps, published alongside the Budget, announced that the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) would have a wider remit to stimulate...

he March 2006 report ““Science and Innovation Investment Framework: Next Steps””, published alongside the Budget, announced that the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) would have a wider remit to stimulate business innovation in those areas that offer greatest scope for boosting UK growth and productivity, and that plans for it to...

he March 2006 report ““Science and Innovation Investment Framework: Next Steps””, published alongside the Budget, announced that the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) would have a wider remit to stimulate business innovation in those areas that offer greatest scope for boosting UK growth and productivity, and that plans for it to...

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce a technology component to the disability living allowance to contribute towards the cost of buying special equipment relating to specific disabilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will introduce a technology component to the disability living allowance to contribute towards the cost of buying special equipment relating to specific disabilities.